A Tug of Love
by mandamina
Summary: Bella discovered she was pregnant the day she found her fiance cheating on her. 3 years later and he and his new wife want custody of her son. Can her lawyer a widowed single father of twin girls help her keep her baby. All human. Some non-canon couples.
1. Prologue: Another typical day

**Disclaimer: All characters from the Twilight saga belong to Stephenie Meyer who is definitely not me. I'm just playing with them.**

**Summary: The day that Bella Swan discovered she was pregnant she caught her fiancé Edward cheating on her with Tanya. Edward practically wrote off her and their baby. Now that Masen is 3 years old, Edward and Tanya have discovered she can't have children and have decided to sue for custody of Masen. Can she beat them with help from her lawyer Emmett, a widower struggling to raise twin 2 year old girls? All Human, Some Non Canon Couples.**

**A/N: Family trees.**

Charles (50) and Renee Swan (49) have three daughters Vanessa (30), Alice (28), and Bella (27).

Renee and Charlie divorced when Bella was 10, Renee has since married Phil Dwyer (39)

Vanessa is married to Jacob Black (31), they have a daughter Sarah (5) and a baby on the way

Jacob is the son of Billy and the late Sarah. He has two older sisters Rebecca and Rachel (both 33).

Rachel married Paul (35) and Rebecca married Luke (37). Rebecca has two children Will (7) and Stacey (4)

Edward, (31), is the sole surviving child of Elizabeth (55) and Edward Masen Snr (56). They also had a daughter Eleanor who died when she was 10 from heart failure.

Edward and Bella have a child together – Masen Charles Swan (3)

Tanya (31), Irina (32), and Kate (30) are the daughters of James (56) and Victoria Hunter (55).

Irina is married to Laurent Dupois (40) and they have a son Hugo (1)

Kate is married to Garrett King (35) and they have a daughter Natasha (6mths)

Peter (36), Rosalie (30), and Jasper (30) Whitlock are the children of Lillian (56) and Grady (58).

Peter is married to Charlotte (34) they have two boys, Seth (6) and Joe (3)

Rosalie passed away from cancer 18 months earlier.

Rosalie was married to Emmett McCarty (33). They have twin daughter Lily Charlotte and Carlie Emily (both 2).

Emmett's parents Sam and Emily died when he was 12. He was taken in by his mother's sister Esme (41) and her husband Carlisle Cullen (45).

Esme and Carlisle have a daughter Amelia (14).

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**Prologue – Another typical day**

BPOV

"That's it I'm done with men." Bella said as she walked through the front door of the house she shared with her older sister Alice, and threw her bag down on the sideboard.

"Date didn't go so well then I take it." Her sister said with a laugh from her position on the couch as she started to pour a glass of wine for Bella.

"He was a lecherous git, who practically ran a mile as soon as I mentioned Masen." Bella said with a smile at her sister as she took the glass of wine from her. "Why did I agree to go on that blind date Nessa set up for me?"

"Because your a nice person, and I'd already refused." Alice replied with a smile.

"Anyway, how's Masen?" Bella asked with a smile as she sipped at her wine.

"We had a bath and three stories before he finally drifted off. Though what a fuss he kicked up when I went to put him in that new sleep suit I bought for him. I swear he gets more and more like you every day." Alice complained.

Bella couldn't help but smile at that comment. Although her son acted more and more like her, he looked more and more like his father every day. "Well hopefully, we can train him how to treat women when he's older then." Bella said with a smile as she placed her glass on the table. "I'll just pop up and check on him."

With that Bella made her way upstairs to look at her baby sleeping soundly in his bed. He was so big now. To look at him everything about him looked like Edward. His face his eyes, even his smile and unruly hair. Although he'd inherited her hair colour. Bella smoothed down the unruly mess of dark brown hair on his head before kissing him lightly on the forehead. "Night night baby." She whispered to him as she made her way down stairs again to rejoin her older sister.

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EMPOV

Emmett looked down on the photo in his hands. Tears welled up in his eyes as he thought of the two sleeping angels upstairs who looked identical to the blonde woman in the photo, although their hair was brown ringlets which matched his own. He would never give them up, but his heart broke every day they did something new that she would never see.

He still couldn't believe that she hadn't told him about the cancer when she'd first found out. She'd been too focused on having their perfect little girls. Although it wasn't the case he couldn't help but feel that he could have done something to save her if only he'd known a little earlier.

He was so thankful for his aunt Esme, and uncle Carlisle, as well as his Rosie's family. He had no idea how he could have coped without them around to support him and the girls. Especially Charlotte Rosie's sister in law. With her having little Joe at home as well she'd been an absolute god send, but now she was champing at the bit to get back to work, even part time so the girls and Joe were all going to be attending the same nursery. He knew it'd be good for the girls getting to play with a lot of other kids their age, but it was yet another milestone Rose would never get to see them experience.

Sometimes he wished it had been him that died and not her. She would have made a much better job of raising the girls than he ever would. With a sigh he lowered the photo back into position on the mantelpiece before finishing off the whiskey in his hand and heading up to bed himself. He had a long day ahead of him tomorrow, from putting the twins to nursery, to the new cases he was starting tomorrow. Luckily Charlotte was picking the girls up from nursery at 3 and taking them home with her and Joe, until he could collect them from there at 5.30.

Slowly Emmett peeled off his clothes until he was clad in only his boxers before he laid down on his cold lonely king size bed, and waited for sleep to consume him once again.

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**A/N – Anything you're confused about please let me know, and please review so I can find out what you think.**


	2. Chapter 1: An Unwelcome Visitor

**Disclaimer: All characters from the Twilight saga belong to Stephenie Meyer who is definitely not me. I'm just playing with them.**

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who took the time to read this, and thank you for reviews, favourite's, and story alerts. I really wasn't sure whether or not to kill off Rose at the beginning as I love her character, but she had no place in this story. I might yet make glimpses of her appear in the future through flashbacks not sure though. I'm sorry this update has taken so long but I've never been happy with it, and have rewritten this at least 10 times, I'm kind of happy with it now. Bear in mind I'm not from the US so possibly there are large inconsistencies in procedure, but this is my universe so I'm making things up as I go along.**

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Chapter 1 - An Unwelcome Visitor  
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**BPOV**

Bella woke to the sound of squealing getting closer and closer to her room. She chanced a glance at the clock beside her bed and groaned at the time before closing her eyes tightly and throwing her right arm over her eyes just as her bedroom door burst open colliding with a crack against the wall.

"Mama, wake up, wake up, wake up." She heard her son yell as he climbed onto her bed before starting to use it as a trampoline.

Within seconds Bella struck grabbing her son's waist before proceeding to tickle him. His giggles seemed to bounce of the walls.

"No mama, stop it." The little boy squealed as he tried unsuccessfully to fight off her hands as they sought out his most ticklish of spots.

"You two are making enough noise to wake the dead." A bell like voice sounded from the doorway stopping Bella in her attack on her son.

"No just enough to wake you Auntie Alice." Masen said as he finally escaped his mother's clutches and scooted off her bed before running full pelt at his aunt who quickly scooped him up in a hug.

Bella couldn't help the smile that took over her face at her sons antics. She could only assume that he'd gotten his early riser gene from Edward. He certainly hadn't gotten it from the Swan side of the family; although his energy could certainly rival Alice's any day, though only after she'd received her morning injection of coffee.

"Auntie Alice out me down." The little boy demanded. "Today's my first nursery day with grandma. We have to get ready now."

Bella couldn't help but laugh as her sister let Mase down and within seconds he was off like a shot towards the kitchen. Followed by Alice who was off in search of her caffeine fix so that she could start the day properly.

With a smile Bella threw the covers off of her stretching her arms up high before she rose from her bed and followed the twosome to the kitchen.

By 9 o'clock Bella was sitting in her office looking over some proofs from a recent shoot. She owned a photo studio in the building adjacent to Alice's clothing store. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she remembered the way Mase had ran into nursery almost taking it over as he made his way to his new class which this year would be taught by his grandma. He'd been so excited for the past few weeks that he was practically bouncing off the walls.

It had certainly been a long tiring summer, especially as her own name had taken off just as summer began, and she'd been up to her neck in work. Luckily with Nessa's pregnancy slowing her down, and her mother being on holiday as well Mase had been covered most of the summer.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the buzzer going off on her phone.

"Yes Angela?" she asked her secretary.

"Bella, I have a Mr White here to see you." Angela replied through the com.

Bella glanced at the clock, and her diary. She wasn't expecting anyone in until ten and certainly no one by the name of White. "I'll be out in a minute" Bella said as she quickly finished organising the proofs before she rose from her desk, and made her way towards the door, to meet this mysterious Mr White.

Walking out of her office Bella took in the man seated in the waiting area. He was tall with dark brown hair and cold blue eyes. As her eyes met his, an unpleasant chill rolled up her spine. Taking a deep breath Bella walked over to him and held out her hand to shake his. "Hello Mr White, I'm Bella Swan, how can I help you?" she said as she plastered a smile on her face. He stood up as though he was going to shake her hand. As he did he towered over her which wasn't a difficult feet admittedly.

"Ms. Swan. I'm acting in accordance with Masen Hunter Attorneys, who are acting on behalf of Edward Masen. You've just been served." He said his voice completely emotionless as he handed her an envelope. "Please sign here."

With her hands shaking Bella managed to sign where he indicated. As soon as she finished signing the form the man snatched it out of her hands and disappeared out of her studio. With trepidation Bella looked down at the envelope now in her hands. Fear gripped at her as she slid her finger under the edge of the envelope and quickly opened it.

She barely got past the first line before dizziness over whelmed her; she heard a voice calling for her and pain shooting through her head before darkness over took her while her mind drifted back.

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_Flashback_

_Bella sat up quickly looking around her. She was in a hospital bed, but why. Her mind raced as she tried to figure it out. Just then a tall good looking blonde man came in. _

"_Hello Miss Swan. Nice to see you with us, I'm Dr Cullen. Do you know why you're here." He asked her his voice full of concern._

_Bella tried to rack her brain to remember what had happened. "Shopping, I was shopping with my sister. I started to feel sick so I decided to head home. She wanted to keep shopping. I got in the lift for the parking lot, but it was so crowded. I remember feeling as though there was no air, and feeling dizzy then nothing." Bella explained to him._

"_Well Miss Swan you fainted in the lift."_

"_I guess that's because I skipped breakfast this morning." Bella replied sheepishly._

_At that the look on the doctor's face turned to disapproval. "Well Miss Swan that certainly wouldn't have helped you. However after running tests we discovered the true reason for you feeling sick and fainting, and congratulations Miss Swan. You're pregnant."_

_You're pregnant. The words echoed in Bella's mind. Sure her and Edward had talked about having kids sometime, but not yet, suddenly an image of a little boy with Edwards's messy hair floated into her mind, and a smile lit up Bella's face._

"_Now Miss Swan you'll need to get in touch with an OB/GYN who'll place you on vitamins, I'd also prefer it if you didn't drive until the fainting spells have passed, as I'd prefer not to see you in my emergency room again." Dr Cullen said with a smile. "Now can we contact anyone to come and get you, perhaps your sister." He asked her._

"_Which hospital am I in?" Bella asked as she scanned the room almost expecting it to tell her. After all she'd been in plenty of emergency rooms in her life with all the accidents her clumsy feet managed to get her into._

"_You're at Seattle General." _

"_It's ok then my fiancé is a resident here. I'll need to go find him and give him the news anyway." _

"_Well congratulations again Miss Swan." Dr Cullen said with a smile. "Now let's get you discharged, and remember to make an appointment with your OB/GYN."_

_Within 15 minutes Bella was on Edward's ward. Luckily the first person she ran into was his friend Garrett, who directed her towards the on call room. Bella made her way there unable to remove the smile from her face at the news she had to tell Edward. Just as she placed her hand on the door a __noise from within made the smile fall from her face and her blood run cold. _

"_Ohhhh Edward, so close." A female's voice screamed out quickly followed by a guttural moan from a voice Bella knew only too well __"Tanyaaaaaaa". _

_Both faces turned to hers Edward at least had the common courtesy to look guilty, but Tanya's expression was completely smug._

"_I was coming to tell you I fainted, which led to me discovering I'm pregnant. Now I'm here to tell you the wedding's off. I hope you're both happy together." Bella said as she removed her ring and threw it straight at Edwards head before she turned on her heel and walked out of the room. She heard Edward yelling after her, but she kept walking as tears slipped down her face. Garrett tried to talk to her as well but Bella didn't even see him. Instead she made her way out of the hospital, and started calling her sister Alice to come get her._

_It had taken months before she was willing to talk to Edward. He'd informed her that he and Tanya had just clicked suddenly, and that he'd never meant to hurt her. He'd even offered to pay for an abortion so he wouldn't have to deal with the scandal of having a child out of wedlock. It was at that point when Bella told him to go fuck himself. She was having her child, and as far as she was concerned he didn't have to have anything to do with her son if he didn't want the scandal. She hadn't seen Edward since. She saw in the paper that he and Tanya had married the week before their son was born, and she's left a message for him to inform him of his son's birth she hadn't heard anything from him. As far as she knew he'd never even seen his own flesh and blood._

_End Flashback _

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When Bella next knew anything she felt like she was experiencing major déjà vu. She was back in that same room where she'd first heard about Mase, and she saw Dr Cullen again. Only this time Alice was next to her.

"Bella thank god" Alice gushed as she glanced at Bella who was struggling to sit up. "Angela called me after calling for the paramedics. You fainted, and cracked your head open on her desk. Nessa's picking up Mase."

"Thanks Alice." Bella whispered to her sister.

"So Miss Swan, any idea why you fainted. We've run tests, but they were inconclusive." Dr Cullen said to her as he scanned her face.

"Well doc, I'm trying to run a business which has just taken off, whilst caring for an over energetic three year old, and I just found out my ex wants custody of my son suddenly when up to now he's wanted nothing to do with him, so my best guess is shock doc, now I need to find the best lawyer imaginable so I can keep my son." Bella said to him her voice laced with sarcasm. Although she knew it wasn't the doctor's fault she couldn't help but feel down on all men at the moment.

Dr Cullen just smiled kindly at her. "Well Miss Swan. We've stitched up your head wound, and I've written you a prescription for some pain killers. I suggest you try and take it easy for a while." Pulling out a pen and some paper Dr Cullen quickly jotted down a name and number. "I'd also suggest giving this gentleman a call. He's one of the best family law attorney's around." Dr Cullen said with a kind smile.

Bella felt taken aback as she took the number from Dr Cullen. "Thank you and I'm sorry for being such a bitch a minute ago."

"Don't worry about it Miss Swan, just start looking after yourself please." Dr Cullen said as he headed out the door. "Just go see the receptionist, once you're ready, and she'll discharge you."

Bella glanced over at her sister with a smile as she felt a shimmer of hope appear in her heart.

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**A/N: Yeah I know it sucks but it's the best I could do just know. Let me know what you think, and more importantly how I can improve.**


	3. Chapter 2: A Day at Work

**Disclaimer: All characters from the Twilight saga belong to Stephenie Meyer who is definitely not me. I'm just playing with them.**

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who took the time to read this, and thank you for reviews, favourite's, and story alerts. I'm sorry this update has taken so long but real life has been a real pest which helps make my updates nice and inconsistent. Bear in mind I'm not from the US so possibly there are large inconsistencies in procedure, or in the schhol system, but this is my universe so I'm making things up as I go along.**

**Chapter 2 : A Day at work  
**

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**EmPOV**

Emmett groaned aloud as the blaring alarm awakened him from a wonderful dream of his Rosie. With blurry eyes he squinted over at the clock before he reluctantly dragged himself out of bed. His head throbbed slightly after the whiskey he'd consumed the night before. Shaking the sleep out of his head slightly he hopped quickly into the shower before he went to wake the twins.

As he made his way towards the girls room he could hear their voices already. Walking in he groaned when he saw his eldest Lily pulling out matching red dresses from their wardrobe. "Wear this" he heard Lily demand to her younger sister. Without looking at Carlie he could already picture the stubborn look on her face as she quickly replied with "Nu uh" before she pulled out Jeans for herself.

Quickly before a fight could start between his little girly girl and tomboy Emmett grabbed a hold of both girls "How about Carlie wears the type of clothes she wants but you pick the colour as long as it's not pink" Emmett suggested to Lily as he automatically fell into the role of peacemaker.

"Carlie" Emmett said with a disapproving look at his youngest daughter as he caught sight of her sticking her tongue out at her sister. With peace restored in the house he quickly got both girls their breakfast and ready for their first day at nursery before heading out.

After stopping at the nursery Emmett quickly scooped both of his daughters up in his arms and made his way towards the front door. Just before he made his way into the nursery a little bundle of energy with a shock of brown hair flew past him. "Excuse me" a voice said as a little boy slightly older than his girls pulled the door open and ran inside.

"Sorry he's just excited." He heard a woman's breathless voice say as she followed behind him before running past him in the same direction that her son headed. Emmett couldn't help the small laugh at the little boy's antics. He just hoped his girls liked it here as much that they acted the same way as the little boy in the future. Right now both girls although excited were also extremely anxious about starting nursery.

"You found the place okay?" he heard a familiar voice say just before he turned around to see his sister in law Charlotte standing there. Her pale blonde hair mirrored perfectly in her son Joe, although his eyes were nearly identical to the violet of his own girls, although Joe's were slightly darker.

"Yeah I did, the girls kept me right didn't you." He said as he gently popped both girls down on the ground so that they could play with their cousin. "Yup" came the quick response from two identical voices.

"We just need to get the kids checked in and finish the enrolment procedures then we're good to go." Charlotte said with a smile to him as Joe and the girls started to play tag around their feet. Lily as usual was the first to be caught while Joe had a harder time trying to catch Carlie. His little tomboy was good at avoiding her cousin every time he tried to catch her.

Emmett and Charlotte made their way towards the nursery office along with the three kids. Joe and the twins got on so well, it was just a shame that they would be in different classes since Joe was a year older than the girls.

After the kids were dropped off and settled in Emmett said goodbye to Charlotte and made his way towards his office.

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By his lunch hour Emmett already felt like he had worked a full day. The new case he'd taken on today was the kind he hated. The husband, a Mr Newton, who was his client, had cheated on his wife, and as a result she decided to divorce him, now he was fighting her on everything. Emmett was sorely tempted to pass the bulk of the work on this case onto one of his colleagues. Just as he was on his way out of the office he heard his phone buzz.

"Mr McCarty I have Dr Cullen on the phone for you" he heard the nasally voiced secretary, Lauren purr into the phone. "Put him through" Emmett replied stifling the shudder he felt at her attempt to sound sexy. Even whilst his Rosie was alive she kept trying to come onto him, though she was efficient, which was the only reason why he hadn't sacked her yet.

"Hi Carlisle" Emmett said once he heard Lauren patch his uncle through. He was curious about why Carlisle was calling him like this in the middle of the day. Normally it was Esme that called him in an evening to see how things were going with the girls. That was when she didn't pop round or get his cousin Amelia to stop by the house.

"Emmett, I'm glad I caught you. I maybe did something I shouldn't have." Carlisle's voice came through sounding worried. "I hope you don't mind but I recommended your service's to one of my patients. Her ex has just filed for custody of her son, and as you are the best I thought you could help her."

Emmett couldn't help the groan that he emitted at his uncle's words. "I know, I know, but she's had a rough deal, I was the one who told her she was pregnant, I still remember that was the day she caught him cheating on her too. He was a resident here at the time and an annoying prick if ever there was one. She caught him that day in the on call room with another woman. The rumour went all round the hospital, he got off with a slapped wrist because of his family." Carlisle explained quickly to him.

Emmett shook his head slightly one his uncle was finished. His uncle hated inequalities based upon class divisions more than anything. He knew in that instant he'd take the case for his uncle. On the plus side it meant he could pass some of the work on the Newton case onto someone else. "Fine, I'll take the case IF she calls." Emmett said with a smile.

"Thanks Emmett, I appreciate it. Her name's Isabella Swan. By the way Esme is hoping you and the girls will come over for tea Saturday night, she's dying to find out how the girls have gotten on at nursery after their first week." Carlisle said with obvious relief.

"Sure thing, we have no plans as yet, and you know Lily and Carlie love getting to play with Amelia." Emmett said before he finished up the call and headed out for his lunch. He stopped by Lauren's desk on his way to inform her that if Ms Swan called he would see her personally, and for her to get Tyler into see him when he returned so that he could pass most of the work on the Newton case onto him.

With a slight smile on his face at relieving part of his burden, and doing a favour for his uncle Emmett made his way to the local deli to grab a sandwich to go.

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**A/N: Hope this sounds okay, Please let me know what you think and what I can improve, by leaving a review**


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